Tagged With: Amendment

Representatives Tom McClintock (R-CA) and Jared Polis (D-CO) have introduced an amendment that, if passed, would disallow the Department of Justice to use funds from Congress to enforce federal laws on activities that are legal under state law with regard to marijuana. Ultimately, this amendment seeks to limit the federal government’s ability to intrude in … Continue reading »

Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has introduced an amendment to the appropriations bill that, if passed, would not allow the Department of Justice to use funds from the bill to prevent or delay the approval of an application to research medical marijuana. This past year, the DEA moved to create a new procedure to license more … Continue reading »

Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) has introduced an amendment to the House appropriations bill that, if passed, would not allow funds to be used to prevent states from implementing their own state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of industrial hemp. These laws are defined in section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of … Continue reading »

Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) has reintroduced an amendment to cut funds from the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) cannabis eradication program through their Salaries and Expenses Account. In 2016, the budget for the eradication program was $ 18 million and the amendment would cut that in half. The funds would be redirected to domestic abuse prevention … Continue reading »

Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) has introduced an amendment to strike all four anti-home-rule riders from the House fiscal year 2018 District of Columbia Appropriations bill. This amendment would strike the riders that prohibit DC from spending its local funds on marijuana commercialization and on abortions for low-income women, as well as those that repeal D.C.’s … Continue reading »

Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) with Representatives Amash (R-MI), Jeffries (D-NY), Nadler (D-NY) have introduced an amendment to the appropriations bill that the House is expected to take up next month. The amendment would eliminate the funding for enforcement of Section 159 of title 23, which reduces highway funding for states if they did not automatically … Continue reading »

Senator Patrick Leahy Today, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) successfully offered and passed the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment in the Senate Appropriations Committee to protect lawful medical marijuana programs from the Department of Justice. Initially enacted by Congress in 2014, the amendment maintains that federal funds cannot be used to prevent states from “implementing their own state laws that … Continue reading »

In 2015, the Texas Legislature passed the Compassionate Use Program, allowing those with intractable epilepsy to access medical cannabis to treat their seizures. Because of cannabis’ status as a Schedule I drug under Federal law, it cannot be “prescribed.” It can, however, be recommended and patients can be formally certified by doctors through the state … Continue reading »

In 2015, the Texas Legislature passed the Compassionate Use Program, allowing those with intractable epilepsy to access medical cannabis to treat their seizures. Because of cannabis’ status as a Schedule I drug under Federal law, it cannot be “prescribed.” It can, however, be recommended and patients can be formally certified by doctors through the state … Continue reading »

Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 24-7 to include the Veterans Equal Access amendment as part of the 2018 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which would expand much needed medical marijuana access to our nation’s veterans. Presently, V.A. doctors in states where cannabis therapy is permitted are forbidden from providing the paperwork necessary to complete … Continue reading »